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Terrifying Robotic Cockroach Survives Eight-Story Fall

by Terrence O'Brien on October 18, 2009 at 10:18 AM

The world of robotics is awash in nature-inspired cybernetic creatures -- bees, spiders, fish. But none have been so creepy as the DASH, or the Dynamic Autonomous Sprawled Hexapod. For those keeping score, that's a fancy way of saying "robotic cockroach."

The DASH was built by a team at the University of California Berkeley and mimics nature's nastiest little survivor in almost every way. Its six flexible legs allow it to move at astonishing speeds and climb over objects taller than itself. It's made out of little more than laminated cardboard, meaning a small swarm of these could be produced quickly and inexpensively. And even more amazing, the thing's nearly indestructible. The video (after the break) shows it being dropped eight stories, getting right back up, and going on its merry way.

As impressive as this little bot is, we're still creeped out watching it scurry across the floor in the video. We'll take the bar-tending robot over this thing any day. [From: Gizmodo]

Tags: animals, biomimicry, cockroach, nature, robot, robots, top, weird

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